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'An Advertisement for Toothpaste': Stories from post-WWII Poland
Explore how Ryszard Kapuściński's literary journalism bridges cultural divides. Dive into stories that connect us to the 'other' and enrich our understanding of the world.
#MagicJournalism #CulturalUnderstanding 🌍📚
An introduction to literary or magic journalism
Ryszard Kapuściński (1932-2007), a Polish journalist, poet, photographer, and author, was renowned for his travel reporting and writings on the African coups and revolutions during the decolonization of the 1960s and 1970s, as well as his coverage in South America and Asia. Throughout his career, Kapuściński witnessed 27 revolutions and coups, was…
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Honouring Tradition: A Grandmother's Hymnal Last Wish
Honouring my grandmother's wish, our family formed a choir to sing at her funeral. A true testament to our roots and the power of music. #FamilyHeritage #MusicalTribute #RussianChanting
Preface: A version of this text first appeared in Discovering Ratchet (the now-defunct blog) on July 13, 2018, with the title “A Little Russian with Your Chanting?”. It is reproduced here, with minor edits.
My grandmother wanted a hymn, the Song of Simeon the God-Bearer, to be sung at her burial by an all-male choir. When she told my uncle of this wish a few years back, he pointed out that in…
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Finding Solace in the Sink
Exploring the power of routine in mental health struggles through the simple act of doing the dishes. A personal tale of finding strength and resilience.
#MentalHealth #Resilience #SelfCare
I always know when my mental health is deteriorating: my self-management falls apart. It starts with errands piling up, a schedule of gridlocked anxiety. Next, my social life erodes, marked by broken promises and unexplained absences. Housework is avoided until I’m too ashamed to answer the doorbell. Getting dressed is less of an issue now, ever since working from home became pervasive and…
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#Coping Mechanisms#Depression#Emotional regulation#Major Depressive Disorder#Mindfulness#Resilience#Self-care
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Letters to a Young Poet
A rational decision & some irrational doubts
In 2022, I was at a crossroads. I was stuck in my career, fed up of living with the conviction that there was more to life than what I was squeezing out of it. I decided to go back to school. I debated between two possibilities, with similar costs:
A Masters in Fine Arts (MFA), Creative Writing, from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland: 2 years…
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#Andrew Sykes#Carol Dweck#Courage#Creative Process#Discipline#Fate#Glennon Doyle#life#Love#poetry#Rainer Maria Rilke#writing
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On Writing
Rediscovering Stephen King's "On Writing" after a 6-year hiatus. From pandemic reflections to an EMBA class, join me on a journey of embracing creativity, facing fears, and the disciplined pursuit of writing. #StephenKing #OnWriting #WritingJourney
6 years of avoidance
A friend gave me Stephen King’s On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft in 2018. The timing was ironic: I was in the midst of a self-inflicted professional fall-out triggered by my former blog. Soon after, I made the decision to put my career over my voice. I hid On Writing at the back of one of my bookshelves. It was a painful reminder of what might have been.
Then the pandemic…
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#Courage#Craig Wortmann#Creative Process#Creativity#David Schonthal#Discipline#Entrepreneurship#Fate#Kellogg#London#Serendipity#Stephen King
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Swan Lake: A Tale of Broken Promises
Exploring the power of a live performance of Swan Lake at the Royal Opera House.
My one true love
I remember the first time I fell in love with ballet.
I was 6 years old, watching our ballet teacher lose her temper. Let’s assume it was a Saturday morning. Mme Mansour had reached the breaking point with our class, a bunch of brats in pink leotards seemingly incapable of standing in a straight diagonal line. This was the first time I was witnessing an adult lose their temper…
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Archives: Clair de Lune
When a memory is forgotten until it is jolted back to life with a sound or a smell...
Preface: A version of this text first appeared in Discovering Ratchet (the now-defunct blog) on July 15, 2015. It is reproduced here, with minor edits.
In Montreal, it is not infrequent to hear amateur musicians playing in the metro stations. I heard this piece played (badly) recently, as I was travelling home from the gym.
It’s a funny thing, memory. I’ve been a pro at blocking out any memory…
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My Origin Story
The "why" behind this blog.
Preface: One of the elective courses of the Kellogg-Schulich Executive MBA is “Selling Yourself and Your Ideas”. I expected it to be a class on Sales, with a heavy emphasis on communication. Instead, it turned out to be a weeklong study in the art of storytelling. On our last day (February 23, 2024), each student was called to give a 3-minute story presentation. This was mine.
I chose my…
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#Andrew Sykes#Craig Wortmann#Kellogg School of Management#Kellogg-Schulich Executive MBA#Northwestern University#Personal Branding#Personal Origin Story#Schulich School of Business#Tiana S. Clark#York University
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Whose Body?
Diving into my mom's beloved detective novels, I've rediscovered comfort in their pages. "Whose Body?" by Dorothy L. Sayers reignites my love for the genre's charm. 🕵️♂️💼 Join me in this cozy literary journey. #DetectiveNovels #CozyReads #BookLove
Britannophiles, unite!
Money wasn’t scarce growing up, but it also didn’t grow on trees. Movie theatres were a rarity: we waited until the release on VHS. The only “official” movies we had were gifts. Rarely, very rarely, we would rent a film from the local video rental shop – before it turned into a Blockbuster – but more often, we would borrow films from our favorite library. In order to be…
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The Screwtape Letters (Updated)
Exploring wisdom from 'The Screwtape Letters' and my grandparents' stories in times of uncertainty. How have books shaped your view on life's challenges? Join the conversation.
#CSLewis #LifeLessons #FamilyWisdom"
Preface: A version of this text first appeared in Discovering Ratchet (the now almost-defunct blog) on January 17, 2017. It is reproduced here, with no edits.
Daily Bread: a Lesson from my Baba
I’ve been remembering my grandparents a lot lately (all of them born and raised in Europe/Russia during the revolution and WWII). They too lived through days where a democratically elected government…
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The Screwtape Letters
Discover how C.S. Lewis' 'Screwtape Letters' profoundly influenced my journey – reflections from 2017 and a fresh perspective in 2024. Join me in exploring how this timeless book shaped my outlook.
#FamilyHistory #CSLewis #LifeLessons #ScrewtapeLetters
Preface: A version of this text first appeared in Discovering Ratchet (the now almost-defunct blog) on January 17, 2017. It is reproduced here, with no edits. I’ve included an afterword, with updated thoughts.
Daily Bread: a Lesson from my Baba
I’ve been remembering my grandparents a lot lately (all of them born and raised in Europe/Russia during the revolution and WWII). They too lived through…
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These Old Shades
Explore how Georgette Heyer’s novels shaped family dinners and left a lasting impact on my life, blending historical romance with sharp wit, to create memories of shared laughter and companionship.
#GeorgetteHeyer #FamilyTraditions #HistoricalRomance
My mother’s health was very poor. Suffering from chronic pain disorders and insomnia, she would get up around noon, and spend the entire afternoon preparing supper slowly, with many breaks to rest. She would breakfast late, and graze as she cooked; by 6pm when we would sit down to eat, she wasn’t hungry. My father was bone-tired and famished, due to his physically demanding job as a welder, and…
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The Psychology of Money
New Year, More Money! Explore my journey with 'The Psychology of Money' by Morgan Housel and how its lessons on financial understanding can reshape your approach to money.
Solo NYE: A Tradition of Intentionality
5 years ago, I began a new tradition: spending New Year’s Eve alone. I typically carve out 2-3 days to reflect upon the year that is ending, acknowledge the highs and the lows, and forgive myself for the mistakes I’ve made. I then work through what I want the new year to feel like, especially in contrast to the emotions I’ve just sorted through for the…
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The Umbrella's Story
📚 On a quest for perfect kids' books (5-10 yrs)! Rediscover the joy of children's stories in my latest post, featuring 'The Umbrella's Story'.
#ChildrensBooks #AuntieJuneFinds #ReadingAdventure #Bookworms
I am the cool auntie. And with that privilege comes the responsibility of nailing holiday shopping and buying the best presents for my nieces and nephews. And what are the best presents? Books, obviously! However, navigating the maze of age-appropriate books for children is no easy feat. I am very clear on what are baby-appropriate books, easily identified as “books” that don’t have paper pages.…
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Joséphine Baker
☕🏘️ Ever wonder how a single café can transform a community? My latest blog post dives into the story of how one café and one special neighbor reshaped my entire experience of Montreal's Plateau.
#CommunityConnection
#MontrealLife
#PlateauMontRoyal
My upstairs neighbour turned 30.
Growing up, neighbours were people whose names I didn’t remember and whom my mother would talk to for hours on the driveway; people who knew your life but didn’t know you, to be avoided at all costs. Paralysing suburbia, filled with characters straight out of the Diary of a Nobody. Growing up, I swore I would never have a driveway or silly neighbours. I would be…
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Man's Search for Meaning
📘 Delve into Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning" on my blog. Join me as I explore its profound impact on my life and modern psychology.
#MansSearchForMeaning #PersonalGrowth #Resilience #BookBlog #ReadingJourney
#BookInheritance
I experienced severe mental health struggles from 2015-2022. In 2019, in a desperate attempt to distract myself from the negative thoughts constantly drowning my brain, I took up reading in earnest, a habit which I’ve kept to this day. Much of what I read was non-fiction, as learning of the universal struggle to make sense of the world made the struggle to make sense of my own self less lonely.…
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